‘Cars 3’ Trailer: Lightning McQueen Pumps the Brakes on Retirement

As the previous teasers already implied, Cars 3 is going to be a little…darker than previous Cars movies. In Pixar’s third installment of the hit franchise, Owen Wilson’s legendary race car Lightning McQueen is forced into retirement following a traumatic crash, and with all the shiny, young new cars — like Jackson Storm — dominating the track, Lightning has a tough road ahead if he wants to remain relevant. That’s a pretty heavy-sounding plot, but as the full trailer for Cars 3 proves, it’s not all doom and gloom in Cars World.

Pixar has released the first, full-length trailer for Cars 3, which opens with a new character (voiced by Nathan Fillion) explaining why it’s important for Lightning to create a legacy. But a legacy is something you leave behind, and Lightning isn’t done with the track just yet. Helping him get back out there is Cruz Ramirez, voiced by Cristela Alonzo. She’ll be whipping Lightning back into shape to face his hot young rival, Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer). Here’s the official synopsis:

Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician, Cruz Ramirez, with her own plan to win, plus inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage!

We’ll have more details on the sequel from our visit to Pixar throughout the week. Cars 3 also features the voices of Kerry Washington, Bonnie Hunt, Tony Shalhoub, Margo Martindale, Chris Cooper, Cheech Marin and Larry the Cable Guy, and hits theaters on June 16.